Cherwell

Cherwell's population increased by about 10,100 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 140,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Cherwell increased by 7.7%, from just under 132,000 to 142,000.

The addition of about 10,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Cherwell was home to, on average, 1.7 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Cherwell

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Cherwell increased by three years, from 36 to 39 years.

This area had a slightly lower average age than the South East and had a similar age to the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 4,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 4,000.

About 10.0% of people in Cherwell are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Cherwell by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Cherwell

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Cherwell was among those who said they had no religion, rising 10.4 points.

In 2011, 25.4% of respondents in Cherwell gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 15.0% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 16.6% to 27.9%, while across England the percentage went from 14.5% to 24.6%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Cherwell, 63.8% said they were Christian, compared with 75.6% in 2001. About 0.3% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.3% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 7.2% to 6.9%.

In Cherwell, 6.9% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.2% in 2001. In South East, 7.4% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Cherwell increased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Cherwell by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Cherwell

The percentage of Cherwell residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 6.4% to 6.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.3% in 2001. The percentage of Cherwell residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90.6%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 6.8% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Cherwell that rented privately increased from 10.2% to 16.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12.1%) households lived in social housing, compared with 12.9% in 2001. The percentage of Cherwell households that owned their home decreased from 74.5% to 69.3%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10.2% in 2001 to 16.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Cherwell increased by 6.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Cherwell, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Cherwell

The percentage of single people in Cherwell increased from 27.4% to 30.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in two (52.0%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 55.4% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Cherwell that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 10.5% to 11.5%.

The proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 28.5% in 2001 to 32.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 30.5% to 34.9%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Cherwell residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.2% to 3.9% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (85.0%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 73.0% in 2001. The percentage of Cherwell residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20.8% to 11.2%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Cherwell decreased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Cherwell, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Employment in Cherwell

The percentage of employed people fell in Cherwell at a faster rate than across England.

In Cherwell, the proportion of employed people decreased from 62.3% in 2001 to 59.9% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England decreased from 52.5% to 52.3%.

Across the South East, the share of employed people decreased from 55.4% to 54.2%.

The rate of unemployment in Cherwell increased from 1.9% to 2.8%, while the rate of self-employment increased from 9.0% to 10.3%.

The rate of employment was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Cherwell

In 2011, 4.3% of Cherwell residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 2.0% in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.6% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 92.2% of people in Cherwell said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 96.1% in 2001. About 1.8% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.5% to 1.4%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Cherwell increased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Cherwell by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Cherwell, which comprised a single parent, increased from 7.4% to 9.0% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (39.2%) households had a married couple, compared with 42.9% in 2001. The percentage of households in Cherwell, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 10.0% to 11.1%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 8.0% in 2001 to 9.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Cherwell working less than 16 hours increased from 1.6% to 2.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in nine (11.0%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 14.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Cherwell increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Cherwell, the South East and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Families in Cherwell

The percentage of households with children changed very little in Cherwell, while the proportion increased in Oxford (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Cherwell).

In Cherwell, the proportion of households with children stayed close to 31.4% between the last two censuses. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Oxford increased from 24.4% to 26.8%.

Across the South East, the share of households with children increased from 29.0% to 29.2%.

The proportion of households without children in Cherwell fell from 59.8% to 59.0%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 9.1% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with children was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Cherwell residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 1.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.5%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 0.8% in 2001 to 1.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Cherwell remained close to 1.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Cherwell by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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